Can filling machine



July 18, 1933. O HANSEN 1,918,641

CAN FILLING MACHINE Original Filed March 3, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 lA/ VEN T02 BY WWW HTTOBA/EYV July 18, 1933.

CAN FILLING MACHINE OI i g inaL'FiId March 3, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 M/ VE N T02 BY M'QM July 18, 1933. O H, H N 1,918,641

CAN FILLING MACHINE Original Filed March 3, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 //V VEN 7'02 .BY WWW y 1933- o. H. HANSEN 1,918,641

CAN FILLING MACHINE Original Filed March 3, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OSWlL LD- H. HANSEN,. 0F CEDARBURG, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO HANSEN GAN'NING.v

MACHINERY CORPORATION, OFOEDAIR-BURG, WISCONSIN,A CORPORATION OF WIS- CONSIN can FILLING nnorimn Original application filed March 3,, 19 30, Serial No. 432,668. Divided and. this application filed November This invention relates to improvements in the art ofpacking fluent commodities n containers, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of. machines for automatically measuring and delivering equal batches of liquid to successive receptacles of a. series. An object of the invention is to provlde an improved measuring device for fluent ma- 1 terials, which is simple and compact in con-= mechanism, the various elements of which may be accurately machined at relatively low cost, and which may be operated at high s eed with resultant great capacity. Another 0 "j ect of the invention is to provide a highly sanitary can filling machine all parts ofwhich are readily accessible for inspection and cleaning, and which maybe quickly assembled and dismantled. I V

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved can filler for delivering accuratelymeasured homogeneous batches of mixture each of Which comprises equal proportions of several materials, to successive.

receptacles of a series.

Still another object of the invention is to provideimproved liquid or other fluent ma terial' measuring means Which is especially applicable to can filling devices, but which is capable of more general applicationl These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed,

description. V i

The present. application is a division of application Serial No. 432,608, filed March 3, 1930, and any novel features of granular Serial no. 575,318.

material measuring and feeding mechanism, disclosed but not specifically claimed herein, form the subject of said parent application.

. A clear conception of embodiments of the novel features of the fluent material measuring mechanism constituting the present invention, and of the mode of constructing and operating machines in accordance therewith, may be had by referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters .des1gnate the same or similar parts in the various views:

Fig. l is a side elevation of an improved can filling machine, looking toward the driving mechanism thereof; v

Fig. 2 is a front view of the improved can filling machine, looking toward the can sup- F ig. 3 is a top view of the supply and measuring mechanisms for the granular material and liquid; j N

Fig. L is a top view of the driving and can conveying mechanisms; r Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section through the liquid measuring and feeding mechanism; 6 is a horizontal section through the lower portion of the liquid measuring and feeding mechanism, taken on the line VI-'-VI of Fig. 5; and j i Fig. 7 is a horizontal section through the upper portion of the liquid measuring and feeding mechanism, taken on the lineVll VII of Fig. 5; v

The improved can. filling machine specifically shown] in the'drawings, comprises in general a stationary frame assemblage consisting of an upper frame 10 and a lower frame 11 disposed in substantially parallel vertically spaced relation to each other; granular material measuringand feeding mechanism associated with one portion of the frame assemblage; liquid measuring and feeding mechanism associated with another.

portion of the frame assemblage; mechanism associated. With the lower frame 11 for transporting the cans to, through and from the machine; and means for actuating the several mechanisms. in properly timed rela tion to each other. The upper frame 10 is rigidly but detachably supported upon the lower frame 11, by means of a series of upright struts 12, and the lower frame 11 is supported at a suitable height above the therein an agitator 15, an annular'series of five measuring pockets 16 successively communicable with the-hopper discharge open-v ing, a fixed plate 17 located beneath the peckets 16 and having a discharge opening 18forz permitting free gravity discharge of the contents of the successive pockets 16,.and an; annular series of five discharge chutes 19' located below the plate 17andin vertical alinement with the pockets 16. The hopper 14 is supported upon a vertically movable non-rotary top plate 20 which is vertically adjustable along guide rods 21 by means of adjusting mechanism 22, so as to varythe volume of the measuringpockets 16 without,

interfering with the rotation thereof about the central vertical axis of the pocket series. The pockets 16 are formed in upper and low er members 23, 24 which are telescopically associated with each other sothat the upper member 23 may be raised and lowered with the top plate 20, while the two members 23, 24 are at all times rotatable in unison.

The pocket forming members 23, 24 and the discharge funnels or chutes 19 are drivingly connected to an upright drive shaft 25 j ournaled in the horizontal frames 16, 11' and a series of can hooks 2 6 is also drivingly connected to the shaft 25 below the chutes 19.

The can hooks 26 rest upon a rotary can support 27 having a toothed periphery as shown in 4, and the support 27 is also drivingly connected to the shaft 25 and rests upon a bevel gear 28 which is keyed to the shaft 25 and meshes with bevel pinions 29, 30. The

I lowerframe 11.

The liquid measuring and feeding mechanlsm is shown in detail inFigs. 3, 5, 6 and 7,

and comprises a brine supply tank 31 whichv is adapted to deliver liquid past a control valve 32.to a manifold 33, anannular series oI five brine measuring pockets 34 successively communicable with the manifold 33 through lateral lower inlet openings 35 and having bottom discharge openings 36, and a. cup shaped casing 37 having an arcuate dehveryopening 38 for ermittingfree discharge of the contents 0 the successive measby means of-a guide 47.

uring pockets 34 to the successive cans. The brine measuring pockets 34 are formed in an element 39 having a bottom plate 40 in which the tapered openings '36 are formed, and these elements snugly fit and are rotatable within the stationary cup shaped casing 37 which is supported upon the upper frame 10. Vertically adjustable within each of the pockets 34, is a displacement plunger 42, and the upper eX- tremities of all of these plungers are rigidly attached to a rotary adjusting plate 43 by means of screws 44, thereby making all of the plungers 42 simultaneously adjustable within thepockets-34. The top plate 43 is rotatablv supported upon an annular bearing 45 which is detachably associated with an upper adjusting element 46, the latter being freely vertically movable but fixed against rotation The element 46 is adjustable upon a stationary central member 48 having parallel guide rods 49 projectin upwardly therefrom through openings in the upper extremity of the element 46, by

means of a hand wheel 56 securedvto a rod 51 having screw threads cooperable, with a threaded opening in the member 48 and carrying a lifting collar 52 coacting with alower surface of the elemei'it 46. Themedial portion of the central member 48 is shouldered and rests upon a thrust plate 53, while the lower end of the member 48 is provided. with a retaining plate 54 held in place bya cap screw-55 and serving" to facilitate removalof the pocket forming element 39 from within the casing 37. Each of the plungers 42 is moreover provided with an air vent 56extending upwardly alongthe side thereof ad joining the central member 48, and thelower extremity of the plungers may be formed of reduced and slightly tapered cross-sectionas shown in Fig. in order to permit unobstructed entry of brine to the pockets when the-plungers42 are incontact with the plate 40, or nearly so. v

The pocket formingfelement 39, the bottom plate 40 and the plungers 42 are simul-- taneously revolvable about a vertical axis by means of a drive shaft 57 having a driving.

head 58 of polygonal shape at its upper end coacting with an eccentric polygonal recess in the element 39 and plate 4, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. A splash prevention. plate 59 is revolvable by the shaft 57 directly beneath the casing 37, and is vertically adjustable along the shaft 57 and the driving spline 60,.

by means of an adjusting sleeve 61 the upper end of which has screw thread coaction with; the hub of the plate 59,: and the lower end of port 63 is supported uponthe lower frame 11' 3 through an intervening bushing '64 as shown: in Fig. 5. The can hooks'62 are preferably so positioned that the successive cans will be conveyed with: their upper open ends directly beneath and in vertical alinementwith the a successive openings in the splash plate 5.9, and 1 this plate may obviously be adjusted to cooperate with cans of various heights.

The mechanism associated with theilower frame 11, for transporting the successive cans to, through and from the machine, is-

shownin detail in Figs. 1,2 and 4. This mech anism comprises a stationary Lcanchute 65 formed to deliver the successive empty:

cans upon a rotary tapered feed'drum 66 mounted upona horizontal shaft 67 The shaft 67 is'continuously rotatable by the bevel inion 30 secured to the shaft end and'meshe. ing with the bevel gear 28 wh'ichdrives the shaft 25, and the druni 66 is adapted to feed 1 the cans upon the rotating support 27 between.- the successive can hooks 26. =The canihooks- 26 and the support 27cooperatewith a fixed can guide 68 to convey the successive cans;-

around-the axis of the shaft 25 untilithey engage a fixed deliveryguide 69 formedto feed thecans upon the second rotary support 63 between the successive can hooks62.

These can hooks 62 and the support 63 then cooperate with another fixed can guide 7 O'to convey the cans in succession around the axis of the shaft 57 until they engage a'final dis: charge guide 71which-is adapted to deliver the finallyfilled cansupon a dischargedisk 72 driven by the peripheral teeth ofithe can support 63; The drum66, supports 27, 63, can hooks 26, 62, and disk 72, are operated at proper 's'p'eedsso as to gradually convey the "cans in succession and inxproperly timed relation to the material measuring and feeding mechanisms.

The driving mechanism for actuating the several measuring, feedingand conveying mechanisms improperly-timed relation to each other, is shown in detail in Figs. '1, 2

and 4. This drivingmechanism comprises in general a main horizontal drive shaft 73 adapted to be rotated by means of a pulley 74 through a clutch 75. The drive shaft 7 3Inay also be manually rotated by a hand wheel 76, and the clutch 75 is operable by an automatic stop mechanism 77 in order to disconnect the power when the feed drum 66 fails to deliver an empty can to the machine during normal operation. The bevel pinion 29 which meshes with the bevel gear 28, is secured to the end of the main drive shaft 73, thus completing the driving connection between the shafts 73, 25.

During normal operation of the improved can filling machine, the driving mechanism just described is functioning to rotate the vertical shaft 25 through the bevel gearing 29', 28, and the can support 27 is imparting rotary motion to the second vertical shaft 57 through the can support 63- The rotary shafts 25, 57

impart rotary motion to the measuring; pockets 1:6, 34 respectively, and the can feed drum 661 is-being rotatedto deliver thesucr cessive. empty cans to the revolving support 27. r The hopper 14 is: supplied with granular material, and the-brine supply tank 31 is delivering, liquid to the manifold 33 past the control valve 32. i l v v As the successive; pockets l6=pass beneath the hopper 14, they are filled with granular material and are advanced toward the discharge opening 1&WhereupOn the measured" batches of granular material are (lQlIVGIQCl by gravitythrough the funnels 19 to the successive cans ,positioned therebeneath. The partially filledcans are then transferredfrom the support 27. to the support 63 by meansof the guide: 69,; preparatory to'bein-g supplied with measured batches of-liquid. As the successive pockets 34 pass the supply openings of the manifold 33, they are filled with liquid entering through the lateral inlet openings 35 The liquid filled pockets 3.4 are advanced about the axis of the shaft 57 until the inlet openings 35 are cut off from the brine supply,

whereupon thelower discharge orifices 36 0f the pockets 34;are successively brought into communication -with r the arcuate discharge opening 38 of the casing 37, and the measured batches of liquid are then delivered by:

gravity into the successive partially filled cans through the openings in the splash plate 59. The cans are thus properly filled with batches of mixturmeachcomprising like pro-4 portions of granular material and liquid, and

bv means of thestationary guide 71 and the,

quickly and accurately varied, and the vents 56 insure complete filling of the measuring pockets with liquid. 1

The entire mechanism is moreover conveniently accessible for inspection and cleaning. The movable portion of' the liquid measuring mechanism maybe freely vertically removed from within the casing 37 by merely lifting the same upwardly with the aid of the hand wheel 50. Then the hand Wheel 50 is removed from the adjusting screw 51, the top element 46, the bearing plate 45, and revolving plate 43, and the plungers 42 may be simultaneously removed from the pockets 34; and the fixed element 37 The stationary central element 48, the pocket forming member 39, and the bottom plate 40 may be subsequently simultaneously re moved from within the cup-shaped casing 37 and the driving headl58, whereupon the member 39 and the element 48 may be separated by releasing the cap screw 55. Removal of the shaft 57 simultaneously releases all of the elements driven thereby, thus permitting convenient dismantling of the entire machine.

'Themeasuring pockets 34 are located closely adjacent to the axis of revolution'th'ereof,

as arealso the recesses between the can hooks 62, thereby permitting operation of, thema-i chine at high-speed. The delivery openings 36 are preferably located eccentrically'relzv tive to the cylindrical pockets 34, thereby permitting disposition of these measuring ockets close to the axis of revolution thereo and the vents 56 insure'rapid and complete fillingof the successive pockets 34 with liquid. The

adjustable splash plate 59 may be positioned closely adjacent to the tops of the open cans in order to prevent liquid from splashing therefrom, and is formed to drain drippings from the elements disposed thereabove, into the cans located therebelow. All elements of the structure may obviously. be accurately machined at minimum cost, and the machine is entirely automatic and continuous in its operation and has enormous capacity.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact details of construction and operation herein shown and described, for various modifica-' the successive pocketsvof said series, and an adjustable plunger in'each of. saidpockets, eachof said plungers having a vent extending upwardly therealong adjacent to said axis and at the side ofeach pocket opposite said feeding means.

:2. In a filling machine, an element forming an annular series ofmeasuring pockets movable about an axis, a plunger in each of said pockets, a plate rigidly connecting all of said plunger-s, abearing for said plate supported by said element, and means for moving said bearing to simultaneously adj'ustthe position of all of said plungers within said pockets. v v v 3. In a filling machine, a stationary casing having a'sideinlet and a bottom discharge, a pocket forming member snugly fitting and rotatable within said casing, a stationary central element res'tingupon said member, a series of plungers' within said pockets, and adjustable means connecting said plungers and said element. v

4. In a filling machine, a stationary cup shaped casing. havinga side inlet and a bottom discharge, a member snugly fitting and rotatable within said casing,said member forming a series of measuring pockets successively communicable with said inlet and discharge, a. stationary central element secured to said member to eifect removal thereof from said casing, a series of plungers within said pockets, said plungers being supported by said element, and means for effecting ad justment of said plungersrelative to said pockets andsaid element.

5. In a filling machine, a member forming anannular series of measuring pockets, means for rotating said member about the axis of annularity of said series, a stationary central element restlng upon sald member, a

plunger movable with and'adjustable with-' in each of said pockets, and a common hearing for supportingall of said plungers, said bearing being adj ustably supported upon said element. 1

'- I f OSWALD H. HANSEN. 

